AN-

Hey this is a collab story with my bestie Dub Peasant, she is the one that making me watch Fairy Tail, personally I'm a a sub kinda gal but she is a dubbbbbbb peasant. Anyway this is a Graylu Fic (NALUUUUU ALLL THE WAY) its a cool story idea though.

Disclaimer- we own jackshit except the plot, the characters go to Hiro Mashima

Enjoy!


Natsu POV

I think it all started about 4 years ago. I think.

"Oi, Ice Princess why'd you call me here?"

"Shut your pie-hole Tabasco Idiot! Lucy was upset when she called me, so I told her to me meet me here, then I texted your flamebrain"

Me and Gray were both sitting on a log under one of the older maple trees in the clearing, it was our special place for me, Lucy and Gray, we have been coming here ever since we could walk. I heard Gray gasp beside me as we heard someone running through the trees, as the figure emerged into the clearing, that's when I realised something was terribly wrong.

Lucy was cradling her side, as she stumbled towards us tears streaming down her face. My blood started to boil as I saw a ripe red hand mark painting her cheek. I felt Gray beside leap up and pelted towards her, she stumbled into his arms, sobs wracking her body as Gray pulled her closer to his chest as if to try and protect her.

We both had know that Jude Heartfilia was not a nice man. We both knew he was an abusive asshole but out today of all days. Layla Heartfilia's birthday. Surely a father would be kind and caring towards his daughter on his dead wife's birthday. Obviously not. And out of all this Lucy always kept her head held high and never let it get to her at school, only me and Gray know about the monster that she has to go home to every night.

I could hear Gray whispering words of comfort until Lucy finally pulled away from his chest, tears still threatened to fall but she kept them at bay shooting me a sad smile. I couldn't hold my tongue any longer ignoring the daggers that Gray sent me as I opened my mouth.

"What did he do this time!?" I couldn't keep the anger from my words.

"Natsu!" Gray said appalled.

Lucy flinched at my tone and stumbled back a few steps, luckily Gray was there scooping her up into his arms as he carried her towards our log. Once she had calmed down she was staring at her hands in her lap, while Gray rubbed circles on her back.

"I'm serious Luce," I tried again with a softer tone.

Lucy held her breath for a few more seconds before telling us what had happened.

"As you know it's Ma-Mama's birthday today," She looked as if she was going to cry again, but she knotted her hands together and continued, "And I went into Father's office with some flowers and some of Mama's favourite perfume to bring to her grave. But he was too busy he said. Too busy. So of course I shouted at him. HOW COULD HE NOT VISIT HIS DEAD WIFE'S GRAVE WITH HIS CHILD. That's all I wanted. But of course he had to punish me for my disobedience,"

I shared a glance with Gray and I saw cold, murderous eyes match my flame filled ones. I could see Gray clench his jaw as he spoke softly again.

"But what did he do to you, Luce?"

I remember that shortly after Lucy had said what happened to her, me and Gray rushed her to hospital with a cracked rib. Maybe if I had gave her dad a piece of my mind or maybe if I had told the police, Lucy wouldn't have turned out this way.


That's when I started to realise that it wasn't always going to be Natsu, Gray and Lucy. More like Lucy and Gray and I was just chilling in the background. 2 years ago I realised this.

We were back at the log again, but this time they had let me play with fire. Quite literally. They had let me build a fire as the pyromaniac. We were all stargazing, one of Lucy's favourite pass time that had morphed into our favourite pass time, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, sitting watching the fire crack. Gray's mum had died 3 days ago, we all knew it was happening but we thought she had more time, since her chemotherapy was going well, but I guess the gods weren't smiling on us. Gray hadn't even cried, I guess he had prepared for it.

I spared a look at my two best friends who were sitting opposite me, they had opted for the picnic blanket while I went for the trusty log. That's when I looked closer at them, Lucy head was craned back with a happy smile painted on her face, eye's full of wonder at the stars. Meanwhile Gray had snaked his arm around her pulling her onto his lap, Lucy smiled absently at this action, while leaning into his shoulder.

I. Natsu. Dragneel. was third wheeling.

Never thought they would ditch me though.


1 year ago somehow we all managed to pass the nightmare of GSCEs. Lucy and Gray barely scraped through, they hadn't coped with the exams well, they had partied practically every night, hanging out at this bar place. I tried to stop them. I really did but they just started to not telling me where they were going because they knew I would object. Luckily we all managed to get into the same 6th Form at a new College: Mildian Academy. I didn't realise that going to a new school meant new friends and no time for old ones. I can remember the first time I realised this.

I had just met Erza in sport and couldn't wait to introduce her to Gray and Lucy. I found Lucy first, she was talking animatedly with a girl with brown hair in the corridor who was wearing ripped jeans and a sad excuse of a top. Like seriously was she mauled by a tiger?!

"Yo Luce, meet Erza she is pretty cool, and she decked me in a fight already!"

"Wow, finally you just met someone with a hair colour nearly as wacky as yours." Lucy drawled out before turning back to chat with this mysterious slut.

"Anyone I should know, Lu?" I could smell alcohol sticking to her like a second skin, I narrowed my eyes at Lucy where did she pick up this chick?

"Nahhh this is Natsu, not your type Cana." Lucy replied simply before searching the corridor for someone.

"Luce look who I found! Bora & Jellal" Gray said before kissing her lightly on her cheek, he gestured two boys behind him, one had a tattoo above his right eye, with navy blue hair spiked up, while the other had a tattoo across his right side of his face, going from his above his eyebrow and down to his cheek, his hair was royal blue. I wondered if Lucy was going comment on their odd hair colour...

"Sick tattoos when did you get them done?!" Lucy said before jumping into a conversation with this Bora. Did Lucy and Gray know these?! Erza had tensed next to me while looking at Jellal, I wondered what had kicked off there, she just grabbed my sleeve and tugged me away from the group. Not that they had noticed I had gone.

"Wassup Erza? Why we leaving Luce and Gray?"

"Jellal is bad news you don't want to be hanging around with him and Bora." Erza eyes were fixed straight in front of her.

"Then we need to go get Lucy and Gray then," I pleaded, Erza suddenly stopped and faced me.

"Don't you understand they already know them, it's too late for them, come on let me introduce you to my friends." Erza shot me a small smile.

"But-"

"There not like you anymore."

I suppose those words from Erza were the ones that woke me up from this fairy tale. Lucy and Gray had been dating since Gray's mum had passed, and I was okay with that. But I was not okay with Lucy starting to drink or going to parties and when I found this out I went straight to Gray, but he already told me he was aware, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. A few months after that Gray started to go as well, at first I went as well so we could both keep an eye on her but soon Gray joined in as well, and I no longer found the fun in going when I was the only one sober. Lucy started drinking probably because of that monster of a father but Gray I don't know why he started, did he do it just to follow Lucy? or was he more upset about his mum than he let on?


"Natsuuuuu your spacing out againnnnnnnnnnnn!" Lisanna prodded me in the side.

"Ha very funny, just no one is talking about anything interesting," I stuck my tongue out at her.

I averted my eyes back onto the far table in the corner of the cafeteria, where my supposedly best friends were sat. Lucy and Juvia were laughing loudly at Bora who was dancing the can-can on top of the table with Cana, kicking off everyone's lunches, and flipping off the dinner ladies, ignoring their yells for them to act their age. Gray was filming the whole thing, while Jellal was leaning in his chair taking a long drag. That's when I noticed Jellal had offered his packet to his friends, Gray was one of the first to take one, followed by Cana, Juvia and Bora. Juvia was happily lighting the bunt end of the cigarettes with a blue lighter.

"WHAT THE FUCK! POPSICLE?!" I shouted before I realised what I was doing. I saw Gray's eyes narrow towards me as he recognised the childhood nickname, but pretend that it wasn't aimed at him.

"Natsu...? You don't even have a popsicle?" Levy said, I couldn't tear my eyes away from Gray as he smirked at me, before Lucy grabbed his cigarette and took a long drag on it. Drinking and Smoking now!? Erza followed my line of sight, and her eyes held sadness and shook her head knowingly at me. Even after a year of them ignoring me or barely talking to me, they were still my best friends but they are chucking their lives away.

"Natsu..." Erza said, reaching out to try and keep me sitting on the bench but she failed I just shrugged off her hand, and stormed up the table. Cana and Bora had stopped the can-can looking suspiciously at me, Cana raised a studded eyebrow as I attempted to talk to Gray.

"Ice Princess, what the fuck do you're think your doing?!" I said while ripping the cancerous stick out of his mouth, I tried to keep my tone as calm as possibly but I felt myself boil over.

"Geez, Natsu it's none of your business, clear off" Gray motioned to Jellal for a new fag and then nodded at Juvia to light it up.

"Don't you care?! At all? Gray!" I went to knock the cigarette again, but Bora's hand shot out to grab mine,

"Don't you know they are expensive. Mate." Bora glared.

"Still I didn't realise it cost so much to kill yourself." I said with gritted teeth, that's when I felt a hand go around my shoulder, and I looked over and saw Gajeel, who smirked at me before talking.

"Give it a rest, come on we have football practice, Sting and Rogue have already left. Juvia you gonna come with?" Gajeel sounded oddly hopeful.

"Fuck off you're the one that left me dipshit for that blue haired bitch." Juvia's eyes suddenly turned cold as she snarled at him.

Gajeel looked at her for a few more seconds, I could see sadness flick across his features before his gaze hardened to steel, and pulled me away from the table.


AN-

SOOooo that was the first chapter. BOOM! credit goes to me and Dub we were on skype writing this. This could be a short story or as long as you guys want it. hopefully longer ;). We have plenty of ideas. Lots of ships will be sailing. If you guys want a Nalu story PM me.

For any confusion:

First Flashback they were 14 years old.

Second Flashback they were 16 years old

Third Flashback they were 17 years old

Current time they are 18 years old

From your faithfully,

Insomniac and Dub

(SONG OF THE WEEK: ICARUS - BASTILLE)

Enjoy and Review.